Russia.

Ekaterina entered the room in which Hydra kept The Winter Soldier. He was sitting on the floor, with a lifeless gaze and his hair was falling down his face. The soldiers outside nodded as they saw her. During all that time, Elise had become an important member of the Hydra circle that controled Bucky. She was still trying to understand the process, but it wasn't something she had access to.

The man didn't move when the door closed behind her. She took out her notebook and walked to the other side of the room.

"May I sit down?"Elise asked politely. As he didn't answer, she decided to sit down on the floor with her legs crossed. Her heart was bumping against her chest as she observed Bucky. It was hard to recognise the man she knew in him. She was aware that even his mind was controlled by Hydra, Bucky was still somewhere. And she had to find him. Quickly. "How are you today, Soldier?" Elise spoke in a perfect Russian. Bucky didn't reply.

"I would like to ask you some questions" This time, Elise asked in English. The soldier moved his head when he heard the language. "Do you remember me?"

"Net" (No)

"Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. But everybody used to call you Bucky. I knew you during the war. And...I loved you" Her eyes were fixed on his, but Bucky didn't react.

Suddenly the door opened and Elise, now Ekaterina, stood up, closing her notebook. One of the most important members of the experiment came in and looked at the woman, rebuking her in Russian. She answered calmly using the alibi she had prepared. The soldier stared at her and nodded, ordering the soldiers to take Bucky to the chair again. His blue eyes had a discouraging gaze as he was brought to that awful machine.

"Ekaterina" The soldier said and she looked at him, waiting for an order. The man gave her the book she knew. That terrible book that contained all the steps they had to follow to brainwash Bucky. "Do it"

Elise looked at him. The man she loved that never came back due to Hydra and its experiments. His eyes placed on her face and she felt something pressing her heart. She couldn't do it, but she had. They were waiting her to do it.

I'm sorry, Bucky. I love you.

Ekaterina Ivanova, aka Elise Baker, opened the book and began to recite those words.

Present time.

Alice Baker looked at Bucky Barnes. His metal arm was caught in order to avoid him to hurt people. His head was fallen and his chest moved at the same time he was breathing.

At least he's fine, thought the girl moving her hand to her neck, where The Winter Soldier had grabbed her. She sighed and walked to the empty industrial unit where Sam and Steve were talking about their next movement.

"Are you okay?" was the first thing Steve asked Alice when he saw the girl. She nodded and smiled slightly.

"Will he be fine?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure how far does this...thing goes, honestly"

Alice seemed to be in her own world. She was thinking of everything that had happened since Bucky became The Winter Soldier. She had used a telephone to send Tony a message assuring him she was okay and after that, she had destroyed it. They couldn't be found. They couldn't find him.

"I'm sorry, Alice. You shouldn't be here" Steve placed a hand on her shoulder and she shook her head. "I'm sorry Bucky did that to you"

"It wasn't him, Steve. And I'll be here. I need answers and...I owe that to Elise" Steve nodded and all of them seemed frozen when a noise came from the room Bucky was in. They shared a gaze and ran quickly.

Bucky had woken up and his face was a reflection of pain. He was baggy-eyed and tried to move his metal arm, but as he couldn't, his face seemed to relax. It was like if he thought he deserved that, so he couldn't hurt anybody.

"Who am I talking to? Bucky or The Winter Soldier?" Steve asked, crossing his arms.

"Your mother's name is Sarah. You used to fill the inside of your shoes with newspaper"

"That's not something you could have learned in a museum" Steve whispered.

"Are we just supposed to take that and be okay with it?" Sam said and Alice couldn't avoid her smile. Bucky's eyes fixed on her and he swallowed hard.

"Alice...Did I...hurt you?"

"Not really" She answered moving closer. "I could have kick your ass, honestly. But I don't have one of those" She pointed the metal arm and was glad to hear Bucky laughing a little bit.

"I'm...I'm sorry Alice" His blue eyes became teary and she knelt opposite to him. "I can't control my mind when those words...I..."

"It's okay. I know, okay? I know"

"What's wrong with those words?" Sam asked.

"When those words are pronounced it's like my brain changes completely. I lose control of myself and I'm not Bucky anymore. I am the Winter Soldier"

"That's what Hydra made to you" Steve stated, looking at Alice and then at his friend again.

"Not only that" Alice frowned until Bucky spoke again. He raised his head and looked at the three of them, taking a deep breath. "I'm not the only Winter Soldier"

Bucky observed as the girl walked from one side of the room to another. She had a telephone on her hands and seemed to doubt about calling somebody or not. He moved to the window, staring at the streets. He had told them about the experiment and the other Winter Soldiers. They seemed frozen and after that, they talked about what to do. A decision had to be made and quickly. Everybody would be searching them.

Steve had decided that Alice would be in a cheap hotel with Bucky until Sam and him had got a car and a plan to continue. Sam had claimed he knew a man that could help them, so the tasks were chosen for everyone. And there they were.

Alice put a number and called, waiting for an answer. The voice of a man on the other side made her knees to shake.

"Alice? Is that you?" Tony said anxiously.

"Yeah, it's me"

"Thank God, I was terribly worried. Where are you? I'll send somebody to bring you here"

"So you can do the same you did to Wanda and send me away? No, Tony" Alice took a deep breath and looked around her. Bucky had gone silently so she had enough privacy to speak. "I'm not a child anymore. There are things about Elise I must know. I can't continue with my life If I don't close this chapter. What she did will be always following me"

"He's an assassin. You saw him. He went mad"

"It wasn't him, but I won't argue with you right now"

"This won't be a happy ending, Alice. I don't want to fight with you"

"I chose a side, Tony. I love you, you are my brother but...I can't stand for things I don't believe, you know that"

"You speak like Rogers"

"C'mon. He is your friend"

"I'm not sure about that, Al. Not anymore"

Both remained silent until Alice heard Tony's sighs on the other side of the line.

"Please, be careful"He was about to hang up when Alice's voice has heard again.

"You are a good man, Tony. Steve knows. It's just that sometimes our ways are different"

She stared at the phone and cleaned a tear that was falling through her cheek. When she turned, Bucky was there, staring at her with his painful gaze. Alice sat down on the bed's edge and felt the mattress when Bucky sat by her side.

"I'm sorry, Alice"

"Stop saying that. It's not your fault, James"

"Bucky"

"Yeah...Bucky" She replied smiling and put away the phone. Bucky's fingers where moving nerviously and she placed a hand on them, making him to relax.

"Talk me about what did I do"

"You spoke about a woman called Ekaterina Ivanova. I didn't understand that. You said that she claimed to love you, but..."Alice frowned, shaking her head. "I don't know. It's confusing"

"Elise was Ekaterina" Bucky stated, staring at her green eyes. "I suppose even when I was the Winter Soldier, I still remembered her. I found her there, in Siberia. She broke my heart when...when..."The man swallowed hard and continued "She was one of the people who brainwashed me, Alice"

That information sank in Alice's brain and she began to shake her head. It was impossible. She would never hurt Bucky. Not him, as she was in love with him. Alice stood up and began to walk from one side to the other, making Bucky to feel anxiety.

"It can't be"

"It is..., Alice" He placed his hands on her shoulders and held her close to him, looking at her eyes. "Steve told me about the box. Did you read all the documents?"

"Yeah, but..."Images of the documents where in Alice's brain and she tried to remember. "It seemed like the folder was not complete. And Peggy once told me...Elise had a diary in which she wrote about Russia. She didn't say anything else"

"Elise must have written all the information she got when she was undercover. Could it be in your house?"

"No, no...I sold the house when Elise died. I had nothing there, I mean...nothing sentimental, you know" Alice pressed her fingers on her forehead, thinking. "I remember Peggy helped me when her brain had lucid moments but..."Alice opened her eyes and stared at Bucky. "Sharon. She helped me. Some of the personal belongings from Elise were kept in the Avengers' building. Others...where sent to Peggy" The girl took the phone and her fingers moved quickly on the board, writting a message to Sharon.

"Woah, you should teach me to type like that" Alice laughed and put away the phone again. "Are you sure they won't read the message?"

"It's a code. A language Sharon and I invented when we were together. I spent a lot of time in Peggy's house"

Bucky sat again on the bed and looked at Alice, biting his lip.

"Could you talk to me about you? Your childhood and so..."

"Uhm...I...I think so"

Alice moved to sit near him and began to speak.

"As I told you when you were imprisoned...my mother, Lily and Elise taught me several skills. I am fluent in several languages. That's how I could speak to you in Russian when...well..."Bucky flushed and Alice saw regret on his eyes. She took his hand and smiled. "It's okay, Bucky. I was a child, so...to me it was like a game. Actually, I enjoyed that. I enjoyed learning new things or dancing ballet. Once, I wanted to be a ballerina. "Alice laughed sadly. "I was stupid, I know. My fate was decided as Elise knew I had to be part of SHIELD and that world"

"I'm sure you were a beautiful ballerina"

"Nah, I didn't care about that. I just loved music and the way I felt while I danced"

"What about Tony?"

"Well...His parents knew Elise, it's obvious. I mean, Steve and her met Howard Stark so... he was like a brother to me. He took care of me and was always worried about me being harmed" Her voice was full of melancholy and sadness. "He tried to find me when I disappeared"

"Why did you do that?"

"I found what Elise tried to do. I also found that my parents didn't die in an accident" Alice's eyes began to get teary and the girl tried not to cry in front of him. "So I ran away. Peggy Carter helped me to hide and she was the only one that knew about me. She always told Elise and Tony that I was fine but still...I returned home when Peggy told me Elise was dead. I let her die alone and I didn't tell her I loved her"

Alice didn't know when she had placed her face on Bucky's chest, but she thanked him for comforting her. His hands were delicate as he caressed her hair and made Alice to look at him. His eyes observed her and his thumbs cleaned her tears. Bucky was so close Alice could feel his breath on his face. Her eyes stared at his and the next thing she felt was his soft lips kissing hers. It was a slow kiss and her hands moved to his hair, touching it. Alice's phone vibrated and both separated quickly with their cheeks flushed.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I..."

"It's okay. Don't worry" She said smiling shyly and looking at the message. "It's Steve. We must go"